Pneumatic reversing switch



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,393

L. e. RILEY PNEUMATIC REVERSIKG SWITCH s Sheets-Sheet 1' Filed May 4, 1925 INVENTOR Zy/m PMs-y.

22m essegsy l I '2- BY l ATTORNEY 7 L. G; RILEY PNEUMATIC REVERSING SWITCH Filed May 4, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N IVNVENTOR 4 fi/waiw 4mm 6' 6 /72 Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,393

L. G. RILEY PNEUMATI"! REVERSING SWITCH Filed May 4, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IINVENTOR 1 WITNESSE Ayn/7 Gfi/ey Patented Aug. 14-; was.

UNITED STATES assess-a FATE? NN G. nrLEY, or rrrrssunsn, rnnnsYLvArrrA, assrenon ro wnsrrnenousn nrno'rnro & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A conjronarron or rnnnsYLvAnIA.

PNEUMATIC nnvnnsrne'swirori.

Application filed; May 4,

The object of the invention, generallystated, is the PIOVlSlOIl of. a reverser that .shallbe simple and eflicient in operation and readily and economically manufactured. A more specific object ofthe invention is to provide for effecting'a predetermined limited movement of the contact members of a reverser without restricting the movement of the actuating member. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide for a movement of the actuating means independently of the contact members and thelocking of the contact members in predetermined positions. during the independent movement of the actuating means.

- Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter. p The invention, accordingly, is disclosed in theembodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and comprises the combination of elements and arrangement of parts that will beexemplified in'theconstruction hereinafter set forth and the scope of which will be indicated in the claims. i For a full understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference shouldvbe had to thefollowing detailed de' scription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 1s a view, partlally 1ns1de ele- 'vation and partially in section, of a reverser constructed in accordance with this inventron; I fl Fig. 2 1s a horizontal-sectional vlew,

taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1, showing the contact members;

Fig. 3 is a. horizontal sectional view, taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. .4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3', showing details of the structure. a l

Referring now to the. drawing, the reverser comprises a frame, shown generally at '10, which is provided witha plurality of vertical posts or rods 11, 12 andl18 that are retained in position in any suitable manner. ,As will be observed, each post is enclosed by an insulating member 14.

The posts 11 and 12'are disposedv for supporting a plurality of. stationary contact members 15. 'In this particular construe 1925. Serial no. 27,937;

tion, clamping brackets 16 areprovided for attaching the contactmembers 15 in any desired position on :the posts 11 and 12.

As shown, the contact members 15 are at tached' to the brackets-in any suitable man'- ner, suchas bythe use of screw bolts 18. The brackets 16 are shaped to seat. on the insulating members 14; and maybe clamped in any predetermined position thereon by means-of plates 19-and screw bolts 20.

In this; particular construction, one of the screw bolts 20 is extended to provide a binding post for thereception of a terminal member 21 of a suitable conductor 22. The terminal member 21 may be retained in position on the bolt by means of a nut 23.

In order to mount a plurality of movable contact members 26 in alinement, with the contact members 15,.a shaft 2 1, which is angular in cross-section, isrotatably mounted in the frame 10.- As shown, an insulating member vis mountedon the; shaft 2 1- to insulate it from the contact members 26.

The contact members 26..are supported on the shaft 24-by means of brackets shown generally atj27. As will be noted, each bracket includes across-member 28 that is shaped to seat on the insulating member 25 and a clamping plate 29, which may be connected to the cross-member28 to retain it in position in any suitable manner, such as by the use of screw bolts 30.

injthis particular construction, in order to eliect a wiping action between'tliecontact members 15 and 26, when brought into endisposed for movementrelative to plate 28.- Asshown, a contact-carrying block '81 is pivotally mounted on vertical pins 32 which, are provided on opposite ends of each plate 8. The outer ends of the blocks'are shaped to receive -the contact'members'26 and the latterare attached thereto-by 'mean'so'f screw bolts'83. a

'ement, the movable contact members are A compressed spring 34 is interposed between arms 35, which are attached to the blocks 31 to retain the contact members 26 inclined torthe outer faces of the contact members 15. As shown, the angular movement of the blocks 31, by reason of the pressure of the-spring 34, is limited by means of arms 36 that are formed integral with the blocks 31 and projections 37 that are provided on the bracket 27.

In order to electrically connect the contact members 26 with a cable or conductor, such as shown at 40, flexible leads or conductors 38 are provided. As shown, the conductors 38 are attached to the blocks 31 and to a bracket 37 that is mounted on the post 13. The bracket 37 is provided with abinding post 41 for receiving the terminal 39 of the conductor 40.

The frame, comprising the shaft 24 and brackets 27 for carrying the movable contact members 26, may be oscillated by any suitable motor and,-in this particular construction, an. air-engine 42 of any well-known type, such as shown in Patent No. 1,401,647, granted to E. E. Rose et al., December 27th, 1921, may be used.

A cross-head 43 having a cam slot 53 formed therein is slidably mounted in guides 47 that are provided in the engine casing 48. As shown in Fi g. 1, the casting is rigidly attached to the piston rod of the air-engine by meansof'a. clamp 46.

In order'to effect the oscillation of the movable contact members 26 by the reciprocatory movement imparted to the cross-head 43 by the air-engine 42, an arm 49 is keyed to the lower end of the shaft 24 and has attached to its opposite end a pin 50 that is disposed to ride in thecam slot 53. As will be readily understood, the cam slot 53 may be shaped-to give any predetermined angular movement of the arm 49. I In'some constructions, in order to effect the making and breaking of the motor circuits before the reverser contact members are moved into or out of: engagement, auxiliary contact members, such as shown at 51, are mounted on the cross-head 43 and disposed to engage contact fingers 52. As will be readily understood, the contact members 51 and contact lingers 52 may be used to control the energization of actuating coils of line switches connected in the main circuits of the motor or motors governed by the reverser.

With a view to providing for the establishment of such switch-actuating circuits after the movable contact members 26 have been actuated to engage certain of the stationary contact members 15, and the breakingo'l these circuits before the separation of the contact-members, oflset eXt ensions53a areprovided at the opposite ends of the cam slot 53' to permit movement of the crosshead 43 independently of the contact members 26. Thus, the contact members 51 may be moved into and out of engagement with the contact fingers 52 that are disposed to receive them, at a predetermined time relative to the engagement and separation of the contact members 26 and 15.

The arrangement-of the circuits required in conjunction with the reverser described above to control any dynamo-electric machine, are preferably of a well-known ty e and further description of them is thoug it to be unnecessary. However, as a basis for further description, it might be pointed out that in theoperation of reversers of this type, the oscillation of the movable contact members 26 in'opposite directions into en.- gagement with the stationary contact members 15 effects a reversalin direction of flow of the current energizing the device that it is desired to control.

Assume that the air-engine 42 has been operated to project the cross-head 43 to the position shown in Fig. 3, oscillating the contact-carrying frame clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, thereby projecting the movable contact members '26, which are spaced along the shaft 24, into engagement with the stationary contact members 15, and that the contact plates 51 have been moved into engagement with the contact fingers 52. Under such conditions, predetermined circuits are established and current flows in a predetermined direction in the circuit that it is desired to control.

In order to reverse the direction of flow of current in the circuit, the air-engine is operated to move the cross-head 43 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3. It will be readily understood that as the cross-head moves to the right, the contact plate 51 will be moved out of engagement with the contact fingers 52. thereby 'de-energizing the actuating coils of the main line switches and permitting the latter to open. hile it is desirable to provide some means for opening the main line switches before the contact members are separated, it is to be understood that the reverser may be used without such a protective system.

As the crosshcad continues to move to the right, the pin 50 travels inthe cam slot In this manner, the arm 49 is oscillated counter-clockwise, thus withdrawing the movable contact members 26 that are'located at the right of the brackets 27, from the corresponding stationary contact members 15. When the contact-carrying frame reaches the limit of its oscillatory movement in counter-clockwise direction, the movable contact members 26 that are disposed at the left are projected into engagement with the cor responding stationary contact members 15.

.As the contact members 26 are withdrawn from the contact. members 15, the springs 34 rotate them clock-wise about their pivot points, In this manner,'the corresponding engaging contact members 26 and 15, when separated, are set with their faces inclined to one another. Accordingly, when the movable contact members 26 that are located on the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, are projected ito engagement with the corresponding stationary contact members 15, a wiping action is reflected. Since the springs 34 normally retain the contact members 26 inclined at an angle to the contact members 15, the outer motion connection the contact plates 51 may be projected into engagement with the contact fingers 52 to energize the actuating coils ofline switches that are provided for closing the main circuits after the establishment of engagement between the contact members 15 and 26.

Further, when the'pin 5O slides in the ex tensions 53a of the cam slot 53, the movable contact members 26 are locked in engagement with the stationary contact members by the walls defining the slot.

Since various changes may be made in the above-described construction and arrange ment of parts and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a reverser, in combination, a plurality of contact members disposed for oscillatory movement, stationary contact 11181111 bers disposed to receive the movable contact members, and means for oscillating the m'ovable contact members comprising a crosshead disposed for reciprocatory movement andmeans cooperative to oscillate thereontact members when the cross-head is actuated, said contact-oscillating means being adapted to permit movement of the crossliead independently of the contact members.

2. In a reverser, in combination, a plu rality of contact members disposed for oscillatory movement, stationary contact members disposed to receive the movable contact members, and means foroscillating the con-. tactinembers comprising a cross-head disposed for reciprocatory movement, means co-operative tooscilla-te the contact members when; thecross-head is actuated,said contactoscillating means being adapted to permit movement of the cross-head independently of the contact members and to lock thecontact members in predetermined. positions durmg said independent movement.

3. In a reverser, in combination, a plurality of stationary contact members, a plurality of contact members disposed tor osclllatory movement to engage the stationary contact members, means for oscillating the contact members comprising a cross-head disposed ior reciprocatory movement and means cooperative to oscillate thecontact members when the cross-head is actuated, said contact-oscillating means being adapted to permit movement of the cross-head independently or the contact members, and means carried by the cross-head co-operative t0 establish circuits independently or said contact members.

4. In a reverser, in combination, a pluralityot' stationary contact members, a plurality of contact, members disposed for oscillatory movement to engage the stationary contact members, means for oscillating the contact members comprising a crosshead disposed tor reciprocatory movement,

said cross-head having a cam slot formed therein, and means connected to the contact members disposed totravel in the cam slot as the cross-head is actuated thereby to oscillate the contact members.

5. In a r-everscr, in combination, a plurality of stationary contact members, a plurality oi contact members disposed for,

oscillatory movement to engage the station: ary contact members, means for oscillating thecontact members comprising a cross-head disposed for reciprocatory movement, said cross-head having a cam slot formed therein, and means connected to the contact members disposed to travel in the cam slot as the crosshead is actuated thereby to oscillate the contact members, said cam slot having extensions adapted to permit movement of the cross-head independently of the contact members.

6. In a rcverser, in combination, a pin rality of stationary contact members, a plurality of contact members disposed for oscillatory movement to engage the stationary contact members, means for oscillating the contact members comprising a cross-head disposed for reciprocatory movement, said cross-head having a cam slot formed therein, and means connected to the contact members the contact members, the walls defining the tionary contact members disposed to receive the ,movable contact members, an arm connected to the contact members, a cross-head disposed for reciprocatory movement, said cross-head having a. cam slot in which said armdslides, and a motor for actuating the cross-head. o r d I 8.' In a reverser, in combination, a, plurality of contact members disposed for os 'cillatory movement, a plurality of stationary contact members disposed to receive the movable contact members, an arm connected to the contact members, a cross-head disposed for reciprocatory movement, said cross-head having a cam slot in which said arm slides, and a motor for actuating the cross-head, said cam slot having extensions adapted to permit the movement of the cross-head independently of the contact members. I 7.

9.,In a reverser, in combination, a plurality of contact members disposed for 0s cillatory movement, a plurality of stationary contact members disposed to receive the movable contact members, anarm connected posed for reciprocatory movement, said cross-head having a cam slot in which said arm slides, a motor for actuating the cross head, said cam slot having extensions adapted to permit the movement of the cross-head independently of the contact members, and means actuated by the cross-head co -opera+ tive'to establish electric circuits at-a perdetGI'HllIlGCl time relative to the establishment of circuits by said contact members.

10. A reverser comprising, in combination, a frame disposed for oscillatory movement, a plurality of movable contact members pivotally mountedon the frame, said contact membersbeing annularly spaced, stationary contact members disposed to receive the movable contact members when the frame is oscillated in opposite directions, an armconnected with the contact members, a crossh-ead disposed for reciprocatory movement, said cross-head being provided with a. cam slot in which said arm slides, thereby to e'li'ect the oscillation of said contact members, and a motor for actuating the cross-head,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of April,

LYNN G. RILEY. 

